


The Storm Flyer and The Fury

by Iyearnforaplotadvancement



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: After Movie, Astrid's the main character, Canon Divergence, F/M, Minor Original Character(s), My own take on 3rd movie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-15 22:48:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9261587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iyearnforaplotadvancement/pseuds/Iyearnforaplotadvancement
Summary: This was Berk. It was three days south of Dragon’s Edge outpost by boat, home to eight generations of vikings. But long before it was home to dragons.They’re gone now. They both are.





	1. Getting By(e)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, so here's the first installment of a multi-chaptered story. This has been months in the making and I'm excited to share with you all. 
> 
> Currently the end is still unwritten, but I have the first two 'acts' mostly completed. I hope you all enjoy and leave a comment. It's always great hearing from you all.
> 
> First chapter in my opinion is very rough, especially with the exposition. That's something I need to work on. Hopefully the flow of the following chapters are a lot easier.

The day was legend in Berk. Outsiders had raided the village, slaughtering livestock and stealing what they could. The Berks had fended off the worst of the attacks, sending warriors of both sides to Hel. When the dust settled and the last of the fires were put out, the villagers of Berk were without a leader.

Some say that he was taken away as a trophy for the foreign invaders. Others say that he’d been thrown into the ocean, his beloved Night Fury following him. And some of the more cynical proposed that the kid couldn’t handle the shit when it hit the ceiling. Astrid couldn’t believe any of it. She couldn't afford to. In the midst of an absence of their leader, Astrid, the would-be-chief's “wife” stepped up and took charge of Berk while the others searched for him. But months dragged on and slowly became years and everyone decided to move on.

But Astrid couldn’t.

 

The real story is that the day of the raid, the Defenders of Berk watched their glorious leader hop on the back of his Night Fury and disappear. All except Astrid. She fought off the outsiders with as much ferocity as she could muster, but it wasn’t enough to save her family home. As always, her skill was impeccable, but her timing was awful.

When the fighting had subsided and the last invader’s throat was slit, Astrid let it sink in that her house was gone-again- and that she was the only Hofferson thing left on the island. Astrid exhaled a shaky breath and rose to her feet, she could cry later. She picked up her ax and looked to the Thorsten twins who were helping with the remaining livestock. The first night after the raid, no one asked of Hiccup. Not even Astrid. Her mind was on the realization of how alone she now was. The house was destroyed in a raid before this, but it was different because her parents were alive then. But then papa-her papa, a mighty warrior- was killed by an infected boo-boo and mama died the year after. Really she died the same time he had, it took her that long to catch up. Her grandparents had been long dead and aunts or uncles were few and far. Finn the Fearless had since moved off Berk, joining sailors and had not been seen since. In the great archipelago, it was only Astrid. Her Nadder cooed, birdlike and comforting. Her and Stormfly she should have said.

She could cry about it to Hiccup in the morning she supposed. But morning came and Hiccup never did. Nor did he the next night, or the night after. Astrid and Valka organized a search party for him. None searched harder than Astrid. The other riders were reluctant to tell her what they’d seen. But Valka knew something was wrong.Fishlegs cracked first, telling Valka all he’d seen one night while Astrid was storming the Outsider’s villages. Valka knew then in that moment that Hiccup would not be back soon. Hiccup may never be back at all. He was very much her son in the sense that they both needed to be free. Among dragons is where their souls would always be. She would have to explain this to Astrid when she returned.

Night came, the raid ship returned, and Astrid was covered in dirt and black powder. She was near ready to drop, but couldn’t until her Nadder was properly tended to. It’d been weeks since the Outsider raid (since Hiccup disappeared) and yet it felt like minutes ago. The repairs of the village had gone slow, no supplies meant no repairs. Their food sources had been cut in half, as had their medical supplies. People had taken refuge in the Mead Hall until proper houses could be built. Astrid hoped that she’d helped that cause by bringing back the supplies that were stolen, and then some. Even still it would be a long time before anyone was well enough to work. And Astrid knew that without a chief to organize the villagers, it would be twice the time. But her disappointment stemmed from the fact that she hadn’t found her beloved among the prisoners she’d liberated. She had no idea where he’d be now.

She and Stormfly retreated to a shack that was an addition to the house she’d built when she first welcomed the Nadder into her home. Back then, mama was alive, but barely. Back then there was at least her mother who she looked forward to coming home too. She led Stormy into the shack and had the creature sit down. Well, as well as it could on its injured leg. Astrid, by candle light, tended to the wound on the Nadder's leg and gently wrapped it up with the last of her bandages. Never mind that she was in need of them as well, she could always get more in the morning. Stormy was top priority. She was the only thing Astrid had left. The Nadder made little noises that reminded Astrid so much of the doves she once saw as a girl. Through five years together she’d learned that it meant the Nadder was hungry. “I’ll be back in a little.”

There was a small pond in the woods that was lousy with fish. She knew that it would be a quick trip there and back. The walk would also give her time to clear her head. Astrid headed out, letting her mind go blank as she entered the forest. It was only when she reached the pond that her thoughts began fill her head. She thought of the Outsiders and her home and of Stormfly an of Hiccup. But mostly she thought of her future. No home, no family, no boyfriend it seemed, no clue what would happen next. Astrid kneeled at the pond’s muddy edges. A trap had been laid by her to catch fish on off nights such as these. Except when she looked around, she could find nothing. There was a soft sound of teeth grinding and a woman whispering things. She looked up to see Valka in the distance, scratching Cloudjumper.

“Valka!” Astrid called. The older woman turned to face her and waved. Astrid made her way over.

“Evening, darling. I was just feeding Cloudjumper. I found this little trap-smart thing it is.” Astrid half smiled, “It’s mine, actually” Valka blushed and placed the trap in her hands, “Forgive me, I didn’t know, no one seems to come here often.”

“No, no one does, that’s why I come here, good fishing.” Astrid replied, thankful for the woman’s company.

“We...still haven’t found Hiccup.” Astrid said, thinking Valka would want to know. She was so intent on updating her on Hiccup’s status she didn’t notice Valka’s face fall just a little. “I have an idea of where he might be, but it’ll take some time, I don’t plan on more than a month, of course we can shorten it if we-.”

“When’s the last time you got any sleep?” Valka asked, changing the subject.

“Two nights ago. A full twenty-four hours-.” Astrid replied, “-more than enough.”

“You’ve been staying with who?”

“With Stormfly actually...in her shed.” Astrid replied sheepishly.

Valka smiled softly, but Astrid could see the pity in her eyes and something else she couldn’t put her finger on.

“Why don’t you stay with me for a while, only until your house is repaired.” Valka offered.

“N-no, I couldn't that’s too much, besides I’m leaving in three days on another search and-.”

Valka placed firm hand on her shoulder and looked the young woman in the eyes. “Please, you’d be doing an old woman favor keeping her company in a big house.” There was no debate after that. Astrid moved into-temporarily- Hiccup’s room. Stormfly with a pile of fish and the heating stone Toothless used to sleep on was fast asleep in minutes. Seeing her dragon at ease calmed Astrid a little. She and Valka sat down in the common room and sipped warm tea, Valka’s special brew.

The mixture was spicy and minty, something she’d never had before and probably would never again. Things were quiet and cozy and safe. Astrid couldn’t remember feeling this way since she was a girl.

“Stoic always said, ‘Valka this fire may be hot, but this tea is hotter. Please for the love of Thor, don’t make this with pepper ever again.’-,” Valka said, doing a spot on impression of her late husband, “-and even though he’d tell me that, I’d always do it, and he’d still drink it.”

Astrid gave Valka a small smile, “Why’s that?”

“Just how we are as a family, as people. I will always make tea with pepper, Stoic will always enjoy a cup of tea. That never changes.” Valka said. “Well...I mean it’s changed now I suppose.” she finished with a rueful smile. “Hiccup is the same way.” Valka said after some time. “He wasn’t meant for life in one place. He was different. We were different. That will never change.”

Astrid held her mug tightly in her hands. She took a long sip, hoping the heat of the pepper and the tea would burn away the lump in her throat. “Sometimes you can try to deny that, but you’ll always end up back doing what you always do...and it’s better that you realize it sooner, rather than later.” Valka added. She rose then, from Stoic’s large chair and poured her tea into the fire, extinguishing it. “Come, darling, you should sleep.” It was then Astrid said something she’d been fearing deep down in her heart.

“Valka. H-hiccup can’t be gone.” The older woman raised her eyebrow. She knelt down next to the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder, “What is it, love?” Astrid tried to keep the trembling out of her voice, “Hiccup can’t be gone. He wouldn’t have just left me.”

Valka then sat down on the floor next to her and held her face in her hands. “Though a dragon may be easy to trap, a dragon’s soul is hard to tie down.”

Astrid did not go on the search party the next month.

 

 

Life on Berk was returning to normal.

Eventually the houses were beginning to look like houses again and the stocks were replenished, albeit not fully but enough to get by. And once the dragon stables were repaired and people moved out of the mead hall, things began to look up for Astrid, but Hiccup was still missing.

Life went on, though Astrid wished it didn’t. She was more or less permanently living in Haddock house with Mama Valka. On nights when Astrid needed to confide in someone, Valka was there to offer motherly advice and understanding. She reminded Astrid a lot of her own mother, before her dad died anyway. It wasn’t much of a surprise that they were friends, her and Valka. But Valka was prone to leaving for weeks on end without so much as a words’s notice and Astrid had learned once again how to get along with the silence.

She threw herself into work often, between the village, the aftermath of the Outsiders, and the search for Hiccup, she had her plate full.

It was nearing six months since he’d disappeared. Still no one had come up with anything on Hiccup. Astrid remained hopeful in spite of the fact. They loved each other. He’d return one day.

Astrid had gone quietly from the temporary chief to their more permanent one over time and eventually headed the council in Stoic’s-Hiccup’s- place. Though they were opposed to having such a young woman take the place, they had few options, and Astrid had done right by the village so far. She had a commanding presence, an eye for organization and detail. She knew what needed to be done and did it. When her days were over, her nights were spent searching for Hiccup. She even utilized their old outpost on Dragon’s Edge from years ago.

It was convenient, it was quiet, most of all, it was him. She spent nights wandering the old outpost’s living quarters, remembering time with the friends they’d made. Even Smidvarg dropped by once in awhile. Eventually she saw Edge as a good real estate to start an outpost of Berk. She knew expansion was something the island needed, with more resources needed and not enough on Berk, the Edge seemed like a good place to build. Over time she created a more stable outpost, inhabiting it with a dragon nursery, a livestock breeding ground, and some volunteers willing to live full time on the Edge. It was a good opportunity, allowing people enough room to raise a new family and have enough room to farm. Eventually a small harbor was made to help transport goods by ship. The traces of Hiccup she loved the island for disappeared under the progress of her village and while she was saddened, a little part of her felt good.

Astrid moved onto new islands, new places, and while they were all beautiful, Hiccup was living on none of them. Her hope was slowly diminishing but she was a Hofferson and she never let anything go without a fight. So she continued to look.

 

Now it was a year and Astrid was being burdened by more and more chiefly duties, less time had to be taken from Hiccup. Valka was home less and less and rarely she and Astrid inhabited the same space. But when she was, Astrid made the most of it and traded stories with her and recipes and funny things about growing up. Still Astrid could tell Valka’s heart lay elsewhere in the world. With nothing to tie her to Berk-no husband, no son- she had no reason to stay.

Astrid wasn’t surprised when one morning she woke to a bag of fragrant and sharp smelling dried herbs. A note was written in Valka’s messy and distinct hand.

_Put 1 tablespoon for every cup of water. Strain and enjoy. Please don't stay up too late darling. Love Valka_

She was gone, just like her son. But at least she had the common decency to not let Astrid look for her.

 

 Three years passed and Astrid still searched for Hiccup in small ways. Days were dedicated to him, but not much more past that.

Things started changing when Ruffnut got married to Snotlout.

In the Winters of January they were married and by October they had a little girl.

Fishlegs left the main island following to help raise and breed dragons on the Edge.

Eret, the new addition, had gotten into teaching of all things.

Astrid continued life as chief of Berk, doing what needed to be done. But life was strangely empty.

The home she’d occupied for three years was not even her home, she’d done nothing to change it. She did it to preserve the memory of the once great Haddocks. But most said she was just living in their tomb.

The next january Ruffnut was pregnant again. Fishlegs returned with the first ever man-bred dragon. Eret was in charge of training the new riders of the academy and Astrid was losing hope. 

 

Three years had become four and Astrid had gone to the furthest reaches of the world, as far as Stormfly and supplies could take her, and he’d been nowhere.

In the middle of the fourth year the council expressed some concerns about her. She was getting older and as chief, needed an heir. She knew what it was coming to and stopped the council before they finished. She decided she could use it as a way to introduce new peace treaties and allies with neighboring tribes.

In time she’d made treaties and allies with the Marauder clan than had been so elusive for generations.

It was that day Astrid met Bjorn Loganson; Bjorn the Mighty, chief of the Marauders. A famed slayer of dragons and men alike. The man was intelligent and charming. Old as an oak and almost as tall as one. He walked in a way that commanded the obedience of everyone in the room. Astrid admired the man, as much as she could a former enemy.The old man, despite looking as strong as an ox, leaned on a cane for support. That, along with a golden locket never left his sight. Loganson gave Berk gold and livestock. He gave them weapons and lumber and food that wasn’t able to grow in Astrid’s homeland. Loganson helped rebuild Berk from it’s ashes and guarded them from its enemies. It was a relief for the council, but not what they were asking.

They took matters into their own hands, arranged a banquet of sorts for Astrid to find a husband


	2. Winter

_ Winter, one year after Hiccup’s disappearance: _

 

_ Pinned down between a rock and ten, no! Twenty men, Lady Astrid looks into her executioner's eyes, of course, had she been a lesser woman, a lesser  _ warrior _ , that’s whose eyes she’d be looking into. _

_ Working fast, she summoned all her strength from Lord Odin himself. With a mighty roar she threw the brutes off her, then grabbing her mighty axe, Chief Astrid the Steadfast hurled her axe right between the eyes of her would be murderer. _

_ This, of course, was not before they’d already ripped a few fingers from her hands… _

  
  
  
  


“Hold still, you’ve got something on your ass, Ass.” Tuffnut said, picking off a dried leaf from Astrid’s wedding gown. “How long has it been since this thing’s been used?”

Astrid snorted, “Try twenty-four years.”

Ruffnut and a Mrs. Thorsten helped Astrid dress in the rebuilt Hofferson house. Even though the house had been rebuilt years before her wedding, she started living in it about a week after Tuffnut proposed. She had decided living in the house of her presumably ex-boyfriend was a little distasteful, considering she was to be married to her new husband. Hofferson house, she decided, was neutral territory. Still, Ruffnut offered Astrid a part in her home.

Ruffnut’s baby girl, Gretta, tugged at Astrid’s dress. She was nearing a year old and was curious about many things, but mainly she wanted to know what she could fit in her mouth. Astrid thought it was funny that Gretta would soon have a companion who would think the same. 

“Gruff don’t eat that, this thing is like twenty-four years old.” Ruffnut said, minding her pregnant belly as she moved around Astrid. Mrs. Thorsten had long since joined the crowd outside. Astrid crouched and grabbed Gretta off the floor. 

The girl was almost evenly split between her two parents in looks. She was Ruffnut from the eyes up and Snotlout from the nose down. 

_ ‘I might have one of you, someday’,  _ Astrid thought.

She looked into the long mirror. She wore the wedding dress that’d been in her family for almost five generations. She always thought she’d be married, she just didn't think it’d be like this. Ruffnut caught Astrid’s sullen expression and tried to put on a smile. 

“Hey, there are worse things-” she offered, “-It could’ve been Loganson. Could you imagine, that bag of bones all up on you on your wedding night? At least you can boss Tuff around.”           

She and Astrid chuckled. Ruffnut picked Gretta from the floor and smoothed out the baby’s hair. “It’s kind of exciting, I mean we get to be sisters. You sure you don’t wanna move in with me and Snot? We can raise our kids together and when they get older we can watch them fight to the death for our love and approval.” 

Astrid shot her a look of confusion and disturbance.

“Isn’t that basically what we were doing anyway?” Ruffnut asked as she picked up the bridal crown and placed Gretta on her hip. Ruffnut paused. 

“What, Ruff?”

Ruffnut pointed to the band around Astrid's head. “Maiden-band, dude.” 

Astrid’s hand touched it as if she never knew she ever had it. With a soft sigh she removed the leather strap from her head and held it in her hand.

Ruffnut gently took it from her hand and placed it into a wooden box. Inside it were keepsakes from Astrid’s childhood; a small cornhusk doll, a wooden dagger, her first dragon tooth, a shining metallic rock from a giant boulder that fell from the heavens and now her headband that established her maidenhood. Ruffnut shut the box and from that moment on, Astrid was no longer a child, a girl. She was a woman now.

There was a soft knock at the door. Ruffnut opened it up.

Snot was on the other side, “We’re ready, ladies.” Ruffnut smiled at him and placed Gretta in his arms. Astrid heard as Snotlout cooed something to Gretta and returned outside.

“We’ll see you outside, Astrid. Take your time, but like, kinda don’t.” Ruff said.

Astrid gave her a last half-hearted chuckle and was left alone.

She looked at herself again. Her hair was loose around her, her bridal crow sat proudly upon her head. She wasn’t sure if anyone would be particularly happy or proud she was getting married this way, she wasn’t sure she was happy or proud getting married. But she was proud to be chief, proud to serve her village.

So with a final silent prayer and words of thanks and love to her parents-Odin bless their souls- she was ready to become Mrs. Thorsten.

Astrid exited her new-old home. Stormfly was waiting patiently for her outside. Her saddle had been decorated in flowers and ribbons and sweet smelling herbs. Astrid rested her hand on her beloved dragon and with a practiced move, hopped on her back.

“Into the fray.” Astrid mumbled as her dragon took flight.

…

 

Tuffnut stood at the altar with a solemn resolve. For his sister it was a strange sight to see, but expected when one took their vows. 

Astrid walked down the aisle, alone. The proceedings were quiet and quick and Astrid was thankful for that. 

Then came time to give each other their ceremonial rings. It was something that a chief of Berk picked up from a ‘Christain’ years ago. It represented an eternal bond that could only be broken in Valhalla. It meant that this was your partner in the battle-of mind and body- in this life and the next.

Gobber had made them, they were simple things. The only difference was Tuffnut’s being thicker and wider than Astrid’s. She slipped his ring on with no fanfare, not a second thought.

But Tuffnut took her hands. It was almost funny, seeing him balk at what hand to put the ring on. She had only a stub, not even long enough to slip the ring onto, where her ring finger should have been. It’s neighbor was a deformed half little finger. Tuffnut took her right hand in his and placed it onto that ring finger. Astrid had to admit, the precious metal among her barely there and mostly there fingers was an odd sight. Even odder still that Tuffnut had been the one to wed her.

“Kiss your wife so that this union may be seen by your people and by the Gods.”

Astrid hesitated, but Tuffnut took initiative and gave her a gentle and compassionate kiss on the forehead. 

The wedding patrons clapped, the confusion evident in the sparse applaud.

Tuffnut and Astrid then both faced the crowd and walked back down the aisle. The crowd followed them as the band struck up an upbeat wedding song that was older than anyone on the island. The dragons followed close behind, celebrating in their own way.

People danced and sang and cheered on the new couple all the way back to the Hofferson house, which was at the edge of the village. 

When they arrived, Tuffnut swept her off her feet, holding his new bride in his arms. The crowd clapped as her carried her over the threshold into their new home. The couple waved to their crowd once more and then shut the door.

And only then did Astrid allow herself to cry. She let out in that sob years of anger and frustration, but also years of loneliness, of defeat, of loss.

Tuffnut stood back, unsure of how to comfort her, “If-if those aren’t tears of sheer joy, can you stop, please?” Astrid’s sobs quieted, she took in a sharp breath. “I don’t like seeing you cry…” Tuffnut concluded.

Astrid turned to face him, this man, her husband. 

She hugged him and let out a few more tears, she never thought of Tuffnut as someone to confide in, but she figured she’d have to now.

He gently rubbed her back. “Hey, there there. C’mon Astrid, no more tears, I asked nice and everything.” She continued to sniffle in his arms.

“You wanna go to the arena?” he asked, like when he was trying to bargain with Gretta. “You love that right? That make you feel better?”

Astrid shook her head.

“You wanna go flying?” 

Again, no.

“You wanna...you wanna get fucked up and blow up stuff in the woods?” 

  
And finally there was a tentative ‘yes’.

“Yeah? Okay, let’s go get fucked up and blow up shit in the woods.” Tuffnut smiled and grabbed her hand and a bottle of alcohol someone had given them as a wedding present. He started off to the woods.

...

She didn’t want to be there, she didn’t want to waste the resources on something so unimportant. But it was her duty to serve, and if the council thought she could serve better as a married woman, she’d do it.

All eligible bachelors from Berk and the Marauder home of Murrow attended,even a few stragglers from far off lands, courtesy of Eret son of Eret.

Her childhood friends Tuffnut and Fishlegs were forced to attend. By then everyone had moved on from the circle. Snot was married, Fishlegs was always away on Dragon’s Edge. Rumor had it that he also had contact with a certain Berserker chieftess. And then there was Tuffnut who’d grown from the thrill seeking teenager, to a rather withdrawn young man.

And while Astrid made many new friends, she didn’t find anyone she’d wanted to marry.

“Enjoying festivities, my dear?” Loganson asked her, after spotting her standing against a wall, alone.

She smiled politely, standing up straighter, “No.” she said in a happy voice. She looked down at his cane, as she had many times before and noticed for the first time there were carvings on it. It was intricate with a storytelling quality. 

Loganson chuckled, taking a sip of mead, dragging her out of her thoughts. “That makes many of us. I must say though, you look wonderful. I was unsure if there was a woman under all that armor afterall.”

Astrid kept the polite smile on, even though his comment bothered her. The women of Murrow were not like Berkian women. They were all acrobats and dancers and artists and home makers. The closest to battle they’d been were archery ranges and even then only a few women were proficient at it.

Loganson must have been amused to see Astrid looking so  _ delicate _ . Especially since the first time they ever met, she was covered in soot and blood, just a day over seventeen years old, dragging a wounded warrior along with her. It was odd to stand next to a man she had been prepared to kill, she thought. Who would've guessed they'd be having polite conversation, at a party no less.

She wore her dress that was used only for special occasions and let her hair loose. That was all Astrid had done to make herself look more appealing for her suitors, partially because she hoped no one would propose, partially because she also didn’t know what else to do. 

“Thank you.” Astrid replied. 

“So, anyone strike your fancy?” Loganson asked, looking at the sea of men before them.

“Well, Basile the Slav is pretty funny. He’s also an accomplished hunter I hear. Collough from Murrow is a very good musician-.”

“-Extremely.” Loganson interjected.

“I like Sven from Raife. He’s very smart, knows a lot about the world too, he was a sailor. Although I don’t think I’d want lay with him from what I’ve been told.”

Loganson laughed, “Have you met Lorrick? He’s from my side of the family. Strapping young man, best warrior, well-read, used to travel around the Roman Empire.”

Astrid recalled the hazel eyed man with hair as red as blood. He had a sweet tongue and an innocent smile. Astrid’s mother warned her of men like that, normally sweetest tongues hid the sharpest teeth.

“Your side? He doesn’t look anything like you.” Astrid said.

“My mother’s side. She wasn’t of viking ancestry. Her family were Scotsmen.” Loganson said, “My father took her family to live with them after they married.”

Astrid nodded, “He’s charming I’ll give him that.”

Loganson finished his mead and placed it on an empty stool next to him, “So none of these men capture your attention?”

she shrugged, “Not in the way my council hopes.”

“Astrid the Steadfast. You should have been Astrid the Haughty.” 

The young chieftess let out a genuine laugh, she’d been called that one or twice before. Loganson took a step away from her, turning to face her to half bow. 

“Your company has been a pleasure my dear. But I must retire. I wish you luck in your search for a match.” He said and walked away.

Astrid may have been imagining things but she swore she heard Loganson mutter, “You’ll need it.”

She then at that moment wished for one of her friends to be there. Ruffnut and Snotlout were at home, taking care of a baby and a baby on the way. Fishlegs was off somewhere, most likely indulging in the foreign mead, courtesy of Loganson, once again. Eret was off charming a girl-well multiple girls-and Astrid didn’t want any part of that. 

She had seen Tuffnut though, on and off, sometimes he was drinking, some times he was just standing around. Most of the time he was just looking around, watching people. She’d caught him once or twice staring at her. She also had the feeling that he was avoiding her for some reason.

The banquet ended without fanfare, many slept in the Mead Hall or on the ships they arrived in. 

In the morning Astrid sent away many suitors and the council’s dissatisfaction grew even more.

Finally one night in the dead of winter the fourth year, Tuffnut came to the Haddock house.

He was alone and very shy. Astrid invited him in and he proposed. 

She was shocked, but not really. “Did the council put you up to this?” she asked, having been proposed to by a few other eligible men on Berk, even being teased once by a proposal from Loganson.

“Actually Ruffnut did. She told me about you and them. They don’t know I’m proposing. I mean I know I'm not much to look at but I think I’m better than being the wife of the Marauder chief who’s about 1000 years older than you or Eret or Legs for that matter. Well maybe not Eret, he’s pretty hunky.”

Astrid looked down at the floor. Tuffnut gently grabbed her hands.

A million thoughts raced in Astrid’s head. What if Hiccup came back, what if he was expecting her single with arms open wide? What if Valka returned, shocked to see Astrid so weak-willed. What if she rejected and the council overthrew her and gave her tribe to Loganson.

What if none of that would happen and Astrid had to face the reality that her life was not going to be in any way, shape, or form of how she thought it would be. What if maybe she had just been fooling herself into thinking she could ever be chief?

“You remember that one time we had to defend Dragon’s Edge from Viggo’s dragon hunters?” Tuffnut asked, bringing her from her thoughts, “You didn’t want to listen to my ideas.”

“So what, Tuff?” Astrid asked, indignant.

“This is just like then. I know that this plan may seem stupid, but it could work...If you gave it a chance.” He said. “No one imagined any of this would happen to Berk, but life’s funny that way. Sometimes you just gotta laugh along.”

She smiled weakly at him and hugged him tight. “Thank Gods that my husband has a sick sense of humor then, huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, this was a bear to edit. Apologies for the month update, life happens. It's also very short since what you'll read is not the original format I had so I spliced the whole chapter into two. 
> 
> But next time we'll get drunk Astrid and Tuffnut banter, fun right?
> 
> Hope you guys give feedback for this chapter, lemme know how y'all feeling.


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